


best part

by gonqjunim



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Oblivious, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:47:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24837127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gonqjunim/pseuds/gonqjunim
Summary: in which everyone, heck, even the universe knows that tetsurou and kei are in love with each other.except for them.
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei
Comments: 10
Kudos: 170





	best part

_ best part _

  
  


The thing about being friends for a long time is that when it's well taken care of, and the connection gets deeper, you barely notice the difference from when you were just starting to the transition of realizing a new set of feelings. 

It's utterly confusing. 

-

"A cup of Flat White and a plate of Strawberry Shortcake." 

Tetsurou snaps Kei out of his stupor. The café has less customers today, considering that this gets full when afternoon greets the town. Akaashi and Bokuto are quite preoccupied in their own world, and Tetsurou slides in a chair beside Kei. 

"Thanks." Kei mutters, swiftly digging in the cake. Tetsurou's attention was immediately caught by the dessert in the array of cream cakes and pastries on the glass-fronted counter. 

"Kuroo, you aren't gonna eat anything?" Bokuto asks, attention finally off from his boyfriend. 

Kei doesn't raise his head, and continues to nibble on the cake but he speaks even before Tetsurou could say anything. "Tetsurou doesn't drink coffee after lunch. It gives him a stomach ache."

There's a small quirk that forms in Akaashi's lips. He dismisses Bokuto's questions on how you can get a stomach ache when you drink coffee after lunch and turns his attention to Kei and Tetsurou. 

"It’s nice that you’ve created a strong bond after high school.” He comments, earning a stare from Kei and a grin from Tetsurou. 

“Well, not as strong as the bond that you and Bokuto have.” Tetsurou teases, and Kei chuckles at this. Bokuto sticks out his tongue at them and blabbers about how Akaashi confessed his feelings for him - a tale that almost everyone in the town knows, because the gray-haired male always talks about it whenever he has a chance. 

There’s a residue of the cake near his lips, and the older male notices it even before Akaashi could comment. He wipes the frosting off Kei’s face with his thumb. He clicks his tongue, “Why are you such a messy eater, Tsukki?”

There’s a tinge of pink that’s slowly spreading in Kei’s cheeks. He scoffs and grabs a tissue, rubbing the spot where Tetsurou just touched. 

-

Kei learns that he’s in the same university as Tetsurou when he first sees him in the Engineering Building. He has grown taller, with even more defined features, along with his bed hair that is easy to note. He remembers Tetsurou’s excitement when he recognizes him, and just like how it goes on with other people, their friendship also blossomed from a simple hello.

“Tsukishima, Kuroo is outside.” 

Kei nods upon hearing his classmate’s statement. He hastily removes his earphones and walks to the door. He finds Tetsurou leaning against the wall - the archetypal handsome university student leaning against the wall - with a jacket in his hands. Snow arrives early in December, and he barely notices the change because of the requirements he’s trying to fulfill before deadlines.

“I brought you a jacket.” Tetsurou says enthusiastically, and Kei wants to wipe that stupid grin off his face. “It’s winter, and you keep forgetting to wear one.”

Kei hides the heat that’s spreading in his cheeks underneath the jacket that Tetsurou brought. “It’s not that cold yet.” He mutters, and averts his gaze to the halls before he could catch the other male's teasing smile.

“Are you done with your stereographs?” Kei blurts out, changing the atmosphere to a lighter one. He sees Tetsurou’s face change into a mortified one, the other male gasps upon hearing this. 

“Goddamn. Not yet. Thanks for reminding me.” Tetsurou answers. He pats Kei’s shoulder, “I’ve got to go. See you later.”

Kei tugs on his arm before he leaves, “Thank you for this.”

There’s a tug in Kei’s heart when Tetsurou smiles.

“Always.”

-

Sugawara invites the former Karasuno members for a short get-together. Kei is reluctant at first, but concedes with Tetsurou’s insistence. The latter eagerly asks them if he could join, to which Sawamura replies in Sugawara’s stead, “Sure, anyone who’s precious to Kei is more than welcome in Karasuno Reunion.”

Kei doesn’t comment on Sawamura's remark. He makes Tetsurou buy him coffee for the week for being too obnoxious. (“Come on, Kei. I’m not obnoxious. I’m cute.” Kuroo contends when he hears this, and buys him an extra plate of strawberry shortcake. Kei ignores his pouting lips and his eyes that twinkle in excitement, he is definitely not  _ cute _ .)

It takes place in a small restaurant huddled in the middle of tall buildings and busy streets. Almost all of his teammates came, except for Hinata and Kageyama who are overseas, finding their development outside Japan. 

“Where’s Kuroo? I thought he would come?” Sawamura asks when he notices that Kei came alone tonight. 

“He’ll be a bit late.” Kei answers, absentmindedly saving a seat for the older male. He sees the soft smile that appears on Sawamura’s face. He scowls, and tugs the menu away from Yamaguchi.

“Tsukki doesn’t reply to my texts.” Yamaguchi chides, feigning a hurt expression. “I just text Kuroo to know how he’s doing.”

Ennoshita snickers, passing two plates and utensils to Kei. “Apparently, Kuroo and Tsukishima became  _ really _ close after finding out they went to the same university.”

Kei scoffs, flickering a glance on his cellphone to check if Tetsurou has sent any message. “He’s way too persistent. I gave up.” 

“I thought I was your best friend!” Yamaguchi cries, eliciting a laugh from the people around the table. 

“Shut up, Yamaguchi.” Kei complains, ignoring his friends’ antics. Yamaguchi’s relationship with Yachi has been doing well, to which Kei admits his gladness. After all, his best friend had liked her for so long.

His eyes light up when he sees Tetsurou’s text. 

_ Kuroo Tetsurou [7:30 pm] : Omw. Hailing a cab. Did you miss me already? *O* _

“Hey, let’s order.” Sugawara interrupts, “What about Kuroo? Daichi, text him what he wants to eat.” 

“Grilled Mackerel will do.” Kei chimes in, not sparing a glance to his former teammates' amused look at him. “He doesn’t really like pork. Let’s order him dumpling soup as well.”

Tetsurou comes in with his usual fashion, casually sitting beside Kei and draping an arm around his waist. No one talks about it, they just smile knowingly and let the atmosphere become even brighter. He talks to them like he’s been part of the Karasuno team, and sometimes, Kei slaps his arm if he thinks his jokes are going overboard. 

Sugawara notices how Tetsurou picks the carrots on Kei’s plate (that one food that Kei hates), and how Kei fills Tetsurou’s cup with water, and the latter would let the other drink first even though he has his own. Sometimes, Tetsurou pats Kei’s head and asks him if he’s alright. A few times, while in the course of Tanaka’s successful invite of having drinks, the blonde-haired male reminds the other not to drink too much. He squeezes Kei’s hand and tells him he won’t, because Kei says so.

“What’s wrong, babe?” Daichi asks, observing Koushi’s interest in the two. His lover giggles, and pats his lap in enthusiasm. 

“Ah, look at them, Daichi. They're so in love. It’s such a shame they haven’t realized it yet.” Koushi sighs in admiration.

The older male becomes the noisiest when he’s drunk, and even more clingy than how he is on normal days. Kei doesn’t move an inch, and he lets Tetsurou rest his head on his shoulder. 

-

“You don’t put lettuce in a stew.”

Tetsurou pouts at Kei, on his hands are greens he unnecessarily picks up for their dinner. The younger male rolls his eyes and puts the vegetables back on the rack. 

“But Tsukki,” Tetsurou protests, albeit following the other male anyway. “You don’t put any vegetables in food because you hate them. Maybe it’s about time you change your diet.”

Kei clicks his tongue, and glares at the older male. “Shut up. My apartment, my rules."

Tetsurou laughs, still finding him adorable despite his grumpiness. They move towards the wine section and mull over the different bottles in front of them. 

"This wine looks good." Kei says, pointing at the green Krug's bottle. 

Tetsurou mutely agrees, and softly pats the younger male's hair. "There is dirt stuck on your hair."

"Ah, young love." They turn their heads to find an old woman staring at them. "How long have you been married?" 

Tetsurou coughs nervously, and Kei blushes at the statement. 

"Uh no, Ma'am. We're not married." The black-haired male replies, hiding his embarrassment in a chuckle. 

The old woman looks shocked, and waves her hand. "Oh. I'm so sorry. I thought you were. You looked so in love. Kind of reminds me of my younger days."

Tetsurou and Kei's eyes meet, both of their hearts are pounding loudly. Tetsurou doesn't fail to notice the redness of Kei's cheeks, and his own sweat that's beading on his forehead. In any minute their emotions are going to be like water from a dam, from a leak in the wall that's going to make it burst. 

-

They eat their dinner quietly. 

No one dares to talk about the grocery store incident. Both of their minds wander on the realizations they had while in the course of going home and eating their meals. 

Kei silently pours him a drink, and Tetsurou whispers his gratitude. The wine tastes a bit sweet tonight, the temperature is a bit hotter. The older male notices the other's discomfort and comes up to a conclusion that they might have different answers for one simple question. He clears his throat and gets his coat.

"I think I should get going." 

There's pain in Kei's eyes when he hears this, he averts his gaze in the ground and sighs in resignation. "Uh, sure."

"Kei." Tetsurou calls, things getting a bit clearer this time. He sits beside the younger male and taps his shoulder. "Do you really want me to leave?" 

Kei blushes and hides his face on Tetsurou's neck. He blames this new found courage on the wine they bought. He wraps his arm around him, as he can feel the older male hold him tighter. 

"I'm pretty sure I knew it all along, but I was just afraid of the outcome, and I got so used to what we have that I assumed it was alright not to act on this." Tetsurou says, planting a kiss on the top of Kei's hair. "But I'm in love with you, Kei."

"I just didn't realize how real the chance we have was until somebody laid the cards in front of us." He continues. The younger male faces him this time, he cups Tetsurou's cheeks and brushes his thumb on his lower lip. 

"Yeah, Tetsu." Kei breathes, tears now pooling in his eyes. "I'm in love with you too."

Tetsurou grins, and feels a riot of emotions inside his chest. Kei smiles, and doesn't let go. 

"Can I kiss you?" 

"I honestly don't see any reason why not."

The thing about love is that sometimes we think it's late, but oddly enough to say, it definitely comes at the right time, at the right place, and with the right person. 

**Author's Note:**

> hi!! i hope you liked it. thoughts on this please? :)


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